Way Too Early 2024 Cleveland Browns Mock Draft 9.0

We’re back with another mock draft this week and thanks to Jared Mueller for holding things down for me last week as I tended to some personal matters. We had another exciting week of college football and the football weekend wrapped up with another Cleveland Browns victory which is always a great thing.

Even with the Browns squarely in the playoff picture, we are able to provide you both now and later coverage for all your football needs.

Instead of telling you who to watch, we will look at how these prospects did in this past weekend’s contest and how they could potentially fit into the future of the Cleveland Browns as we keep marching toward the 2024 NFL Draft. If you missed Jared’s mock draft last week you can find it here.

Round 2

Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon: The playmaker for the Ducks' offense continues to keep making a strong impression and solidifying himself as a top-60 prospect in what should be another stacked wide receiver class. Franklin found the end zone for the tenth time this season while helping lead Oregon to a blowout victory over Cal. The size and speed are there but the slight frame will continue to concern me.

Saturday vs. Cal: 6 receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown.
2023 stats: 58 receptions for 946 yards and ten touchdowns.
Next Matchup: Saturday, November 11 vs USC (10:30 on FOX)

Round 3

Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington: The redshirt junior had a solid performance, much like his 2023 season has been for the Huskies allowing just two pressures against an atrocious USC defense. His age is unknown but he would seem to be older with this being his fifth year at the university but with the future of uncertainty surrounding the left tackle position, especially in the immediate wake of Jed Wills's injury, the Browns should be searching for the long term future at the position.

Saturday vs. USC: 73.1 pass block grade, 60.1 run block grade, two pressures allowed (grades via PFF).
2023 stats: 88.2 pass block grade, 61.6 run block grade, 11 pressures allowed, two sacks allowed.
Next Matchup: Saturday, November 11 vs Utah (3:30 pm on FOX)

Round 5

Zach Frazier, iOL, West Virginia: Frazier is listed at center for the Mountaineers but spent his freshman season at guard so the potential swing lineman option could still be there. He’s been rock solid for West Virginia for his four seasons there allowing just five sacks and 46 pressures in 1,644 pass blocking snaps.

Saturday vs. BYU: 59.2 pass block grade, 76.1 run block grade, zero pressures allowed.
2023 Stats: 81.9 pass block grade, 70.7 run block grade, five pressures allowed.
Next Matchup: Saturday, November 11 vs. Oklahoma (7 p.m. on FOX)

Round 7

Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon: Transferring from Alabama, Jackson has provided an impact to the Ducks secondary allowing just one touchdown so far this season. Fits the model of what Andrew Berry has been looking at in the cornerback position in terms of big and physical. Jackson has posted back-to-back seasons of above-average tackle grades on Pro Football Focus.

Saturday vs. Oregon: Three tackles, one pass breakup. Allowed two catches for 39 yards.
2023 Stats: 21 total tackles (15 solo), two interceptions, two sacks. Allowed 14 catches (27 targets) for 154 yards and a touchdown. 74.8 coverage grade.
Next Matchup: Saturday, November 11 vs USC (10:30 on FOX)

Devin Neal, RB, Kansas: The third-year back had one of his worst performances Saturday against Iowa State but found the end zone twice to help the Jayhawks come away with the victory. The week prior against Oklahoma, Neal rushed for over 100 yards against the Sooners and for the season is averaging over six yards per carry. He’s solid as a receiver out of the backfield and has continued to make strides as a pass blocker.

Saturday vs Iowa State: 21 carries for 57 yards and two touchdowns. Two catches for four yards.
2023 Stats: 136 carries for 828 yards and nine touchdowns. 21 catches for 200 yards and a touchdown.
Next Matchup: Saturday, November 11 vs. Texas Tech (12:30 p.m. on FS1)

DeWayne Carter, DT, Duke: The Ohio native is not having the strongest of senior seasons for the Blue Devils after posting back-to-back strong campaigns in 2021 and 2022. After generating 89 pressures combined in ‘21 and ‘22, Carter has just 11 pressures in nine games this season. He has struggled as a tackler and is average as a run defender, the pass rush was consistent prior to this season. Perhaps landing in the ideal situation (Jim Schwartz perhaps?) could recapture that magic.

Thursday vs. Wake Forest: 8 total tackles (3 solo, 1 for a loss), 0.5 sacks, 1 blocked kick.
2023 Stats: 33 total tackles (9 solo, 3 for a loss), 0.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 blocked kick.
Next Matchup: Saturday, November 11 vs. North Carolina (8 p.m. on ACC Network)

Joe Milton III, QB, Tennessee: I’ve always liked the idea of taking or adding a quarterback every year to give the Browns some potential ammo to add future draft capital so why not take a chance on Milton late in the draft? He’s got great size at 6’5, is an accurate thrower, and takes care of the football. He made quick work of UConn on Saturday in the Volunteers 59-3 victory and I’m sure he’s got at least a few fans in the organization with the Haslams being big-time donors of the university.

Saturday vs UConn: 11 of 14 for 254 yards and two touchdowns. Two carries for seven yards and a rushing touchdown.
2023 Stats: 169 of 258 for 2,017 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. 59 carries for 265 yards and five rushing touchdowns.

For this draft scenario, we used the NFL Mock Draft Database simulator.